This invention relates to an input device and more particularly to a mouse for an electronic device.
The first computers were introduced to the work place, in substantial numbers, in the early 1980""s. Since then, the development and popularity of computers in the work place, especially desktop and laptop computers, have grown tremendously. Along side the development of these computers has been the development of pointing devices. One such pointing device is the computer mouse.
A computer mouse is a small hand held interactive input device that, when rolled over a flat surface, controls placement of a cursor displayed on a terminal attached to the computer. The mouse is typically attached to the computer by a wire, although in some modern designs, the mouse and computer are wirelessly coupled. The mouse is typically equipped with one or more control buttons. The buttons allow the user to interact with the computer by choosing various options, which typically appear in the form of icons displayed on the computer terminal. The mouse typically consists of a case which has a flat bottom containing a directional sensor for detecting movement of the mouse.
Various types of directional sensors for detecting movement of the mouse are commercially available including mechanical and optical sensors. A mouse containing a mechanical directional sensor (mechanical configuration) typically contains a rubber-coated ball on the underside of the case. As the mouse is moved, the ball contacts an electrical-mechanical sensor which detect the motion of the ball and converts this movement into electrical signals which are communicated to the computer. The mechanical configuration can be used on virtually any surface, although a smooth surface gives better results.
In contrast, a mouse containing an optical directional sensor works by registering the position of the mouse by emitting light onto the surface upon which the mouse rests. The light is reflected from the surface and captured by an optical sensor typically disposed adjacent to the light source. Movement of the mouse is electrically extracted from variation in the transmitted and reflected light and is communicated to the computer. Typically a special reflective mouse pad is used to reflect light more efficiently from the surface upon which the mouse rests, although in some modern designs a reflective mouse pad is not required.
A mouse is generally configured to be interfaced with both desktop and laptop computers. Laptop computers (xe2x80x9cLaptopxe2x80x9d), however, typically have a pointing device designed into an upper surface of the computer. Designs as such make the laptop more portable and allows operation of the computer in confined spaces. However, many operators of laptop computers enjoy the flexibility and comfort of using a xe2x80x9cregularxe2x80x9d mouse instead of the built-in pointing device (xe2x80x9claptop mousexe2x80x9d) because some users find a laptop mouse cumbersome to use and lacking in ergonomic design. To address this concern, some laptop computer manufactures have developed a miniature mouse that is affixed to a side of the laptop. This design, however, still limits the freedom the user has to move the mouse because the mouse is mechanically attached to the laptop. In this regard, there still remains a need for a mouse that can be used in conjunction with an electronic device such as a laptop computer that may be easily stowed, transported, and does not restrict the degree of freedom the operator has to move the mouse.